Covid-19: FG suspends Emirates flight operations in Nigeria.

Chinazor Megbolu

The Federal Government, on Monday suspended Emirates Airline over imposition of additional Covid-19 protocols.

The Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, who announced the suspension, said the Emirates airline was barred from flying into or out of its territory last week after the carrier imposed additional Covid-19 test requirements on passengers from the country.

Sirika, during a news conference, noted the airline had demanded passengers from Nigeria undertake three Covid-19 tests within 24 hours, which led to the suspension of its operations by the federal government.

He also added that suspension was with the exemption of cargo and humanitarian flights.

“To make us go through three tests within 24 hours does not make sense. Since they insist, their operations remain suspended,” Sirika said.

Recall that in February 2021, the country lifted a suspension of Emirates airlines flights imposed after the carrier sought additional Covid-19 tests for passengers from Nigeria.

Sirika added that in a bid to require a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test before flying from Nigeria, the Emirates airline added an extra requirement of having a rapid test four hours before departure.

However, Emirates previous week, said that passenger flights to and from Nigeria had been suspended until further notice in line with government directives